Next Chrysler 300 to Debut in November?

The last time an all-new Chrysler 300 hit dealerships, the full-size sedan was on the cutting edge of what seemed like a new era in the American auto industry. Its combination of rear-wheel drive (RWD) and aggressive styling had customers flocking to Chrysler dealerships and competitors scrambling to get their big sedans onto RWD platforms of their own.

One major economic crisis later, the family sedan scene remains much the way it was back in 2004. Crumbling balance sheets and a renewed focus on fuel efficiency nipped the rear-wheel-drive revolution in the bud and stopped the segment's evolution in its tracks.

The first real sign of life was the 2010 Ford Taurus, which almost appears to have picked up exactly where that 300 left off. That is, the big Ford boasts an unapologetically forceful design and relatively impressive driving dynamics, but gives just a slight EcoBoosted nod to fuel efficiency. And although the Ford still rides on a front-wheel-drive platform, an optional all-wheel-drive system at least gets those back wheels doing some of the work.

And now comes word from the "Wall Street Journal" that Chrysler will pull ahead its next-gen 300, originally expected to go on sale in early 2011, and get the redesigned sedan on public roads in November.

Frankly, it has to be considered a sign of desperation at Chrysler, which has been supporting itself on a steady diet of fleet sales so far this month. That keeps the factories going, but unless some actual retail customers start wandering into Chrysler and Dodge stores in the near-term future, the company might not have a long-term one.

Remember, the automaker hasn't introduced a truly new model since some time back in 2008, and the next one will be the Jeep Grand Cherokee. And no matter how good that Jeep is, a premium full-size off-roader simply isn't going to do much to help increase sales.

But the new 300 could. Although leaked pictures (pictured above) of the 2011 model don't show a lot of new sheet metal, it does improve on and freshen up what is a nice-looking car even today. Plus, the next-gen 300 also will remain the only mainstream sedan with rear-wheel-drive, which is still an important differentiator in the market place, and it will be powered by Chrysler's new, more efficient V-6—an important weapon if the 300 is to capture more buyers.

In fact, if the 2011 300 can leverage that engine into a 30-mpg mark on the highway, Chrysler may actually have a winner on its hands.

Here's my thinking: The 2010 Taurus is currently the benchmark for big mainstream sedans, and, as I might have mentioned in previous columns, it's a very large car. The Taurus weighs in at more than 4,000 lbs. and stretches a full 202.9 inches in length. But because of that size, even the most fuel-frugal model puts up an EPA line of 18 mpg city/28 mpg highway/22 combined.

The Chevrolet Impala still comfortably tops six figures on the annual sales charts, and that's impressive evidence of the sedan's continuing customer appeal. But the Impala features a relatively bland exterior and mechanicals that are just about as old as what's beneath the current 300. Part of the reason for the Chevy's ongoing success is merely the direction taken by Ford on the Taurus.

For example, the base V-6 on the Chevrolet still routes its power through a four-speed automatic, while the Ford adds two extra cogs. Yet because the Taurus outweighs the Impala by about 500 lbs., their EPA ratings are virtually identical; actually, while the cars get the same city and combined numbers, the Impala one-ups the Ford on the highway, attaining 29 mpg.

Today's Chrysler sedan is about 100 lbs. heavier and three inches shorter than the Impala, and can already achieve fuel-efficiency ratings of 18/26/21. With Chrysler's improved powerplant, 30 mpg highway shouldn't be out of the realm of possibility, and perhaps the company would even consider dropping in a four-cylinder engine.

General Motors, recall, has now begun offering an inline-four in the base Buick LaCrosse, with a promise of 30 mpg highway, and the LaCrosse is a bigger, heavier car than the 2010 300.

As far as the imports go, cars like the Hyundai Azera and Nissan Altima are more like big mid-sizers than full-size sedans, while the bigger Toyota Avalon also wears a surprisingly big price tag: Its MSRP starts at more than $32,000. That's approximately $5,000 more than the Taurus; heck, it's about $4,000 above the Buick, which is supposed to be a premium sedan.

Just to be clear here, I fully realize it's going to take more than good fuel efficiency for the new 300 to be a success, and it's going to take more than just a successful 300 for Chrysler to survive. But the automaker's sedan is coming at the right time (before the new Impala) and—one hopes—with the right numbers (relative to the Ford).

Now it's just a matter of getting the right results.